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Saturday, April 24, 2010

I'll get my computer back in a few days hopefully. Chris is having to take a closer look at it. Depending on what can be saved, I may have time to actually get this episode done and sent out before the deadline. It's got to go to a few places and seen by a few people. Also I was looking forward to putting it online. Give folks more reason to head over to monstercops.com

Monster Cops has moved to the forefront in the projects area. Creep is second. Especially now that I may have a few people interested in helping Monster Cops out financially. I may have the seed money to at least get the camera and go ahead with the next episode, as well as shoot that first scene for Creep.

My main goal is to really get going on episodes for Monster Cops and have that DVD ready for the fall and the holiday season. Creep we'll be able to work on more closer to the end of summer into fall. But the Monster Cops DVD is looking like more and more of a possibility.

Without my computer I'm out of commission on video and sound editing. Thankfully my script writing software is installed on my wife's laptop and she's been nice enough to let me use it. So I can at least work on re-writes for Creep, and the next few Monster Cops episodes. Unfortunately all my music that I listen to as I write is on my computer, but for now, iTunes radio will have to suffice.

I'm hoping a few things will happen in the next few weeks that will mean me getting the rest of the funding to ensure these Monster Cops episodes get finished. I have 8 listed, but I'll be fine with producing 6 total. Here's a listing for all episodes and what they are about.

1) SHADOW COMPANY. CompletedCutter still deals with the death of his wife, Greenly is obsessed with the death of Tupac, Weir has questions about the death of Mothman, and the team faces off against zombies, and a Vampire that knows too much.

2) MONSTERS Vs. COPS. Almost Completed (Computer Status Pending)It's Jack's birthday and zombie activity is on the rise. Cutter bakes cookies for everyone as the team investigates the activities of an Occult Worshiping Succubus.

The rest may under go title changes and are open as far as plot. I have to leave them kind of open because I need to leave room for improv. That's how it is on no-budget. If I get complete funding, then we can shoot the scripts straight up with minimal surprises.

3) DEAD BY DAWN (Vampires)The team has less than 6 hours to track and destroy a Master Vampire before one of their own becomes one of the Undead.

4) BLOOD MOON (Werewolves)Bigfoot sightings at a Campground lead the team to do battle with a giant Lycanthrope. Meanwhile Windows is having a tough time trying to find a date to the prom, and Jones' sexuality becomes a hot topic at the water cooler.

5) PARANORMAL DIVISION (Exorcism / Demons)A closer look at the Paranormal and Psychic Division of 19-3. The Exorcism of a young girl may lead to clues about the coming of a Demonic Beast the Cops must destroy. Meanwhile, Weir is dealing with his fear of insects and Cutter faces off with an old adversary.

6) DREAD (Demonic Serial Killer / Cult / Zombies)The Lab needs a specimen to study, which means the Cops must capture the elusive Supernatural Zombie. Meanwhile research ties the rise in zombie activity to an old hippie cult known as The Cult Of Dread. Also, the Sniper team is having way too much fun with new weapons.

7) HELL GATE (Zombies / Sorcerer)Satellites detect a hot spot in an open field, where the team finds one lone Sorcerer trying to open up a gate to hell. The team must use every weapon and piece of technology at their disposal to do battle with an ancient sorcerer, who has the powers to summon evil zombies and demonic beasts. Meanwhile a government revue could mean a CIA take over of 19-3.

8) 19-3 A prophecy foretells of a coming war against humans as demonic beasts known as RAGS gather in large numbers in the forests of Gaines park. The team must put all of their weapons and training to the test in order to stop it. Meanwhile a new CIA liaison begins to micromanage Shadow Company officers, putting a damper on team morale. Cutter must make a decision to save 19-3 from a CIA take over, but could mean his official leave of Shadow Company.

With a little funding I know I can produce 6 episodes, but with the full funding I'm sure I can get all 8, which would be great, because I would be able to tell the full arch of this particular story. There are many more Monster Cops adventures as well as 2 feature length screenplays that I'd love to produce in the future, but for now, I'll concentrate on these, see how people feel about them, and if a larger audience would like to see a full fledged series on DVD. I know I've got a few supporters, so for now I'm making these for you guys, but I'm hoping we can reach out to a wider audience, see where it goes from there.

I have to note that, although it sucks the possibility of me losing files and having to start over, it's nothing compared to what some people are going through right now. I see tornadoes hitting some towns, and of course the other recent earthquake disasters. I lost a stupid computer, these people have lost homes, lives, entire communities. I still count myself very lucky that I'm still breathing, I've got my wife, and I've got a roof over my head.

Stupid computer problems? Whatever. I'm still very blessed.

Going to hand the Laptop back over to the wife. Gonna hit my notebook to do some notes, back on later.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

The dream was very real. I really believed it was happening. I actually remember wishing that it were all just a dream. Then I woke up. And although my heart was pounding hard, I felt so relieved. It really was just a dream.

I remember those other times, when it felt like a nightmare. When my mother told me she was diagnosed with Cancer. When Juli's mom got Cancer, the day we realized she was going to die, and the night she passed away. These things in life happen, where you wish it was all a horrible nightmare, and you'd just wake up from it. And the helpless terror you feel when you don't wake up.

So when I learned the world was going to end, I ran through all the emotions, the denial, the helplessness, the fear, the reluctant acceptance, and the immediate regret for all the things you'll never get to do. I'll never have children. I'll never grow old with my wife. I'll never see my family again. I'll never make movies. I'll never get the chance to sit with an audience in a theater as they and I experience one of my movies together. I'll never see any of my dreams come true.

Imagine my relief when I woke up. I was in my bed, next to my wife. Right where I was wishing I was. I felt like I was given a second chance.

I felt more driven than usual. Like nothing could stop me. Then I turned on my computer.

My computer is down. Crashed due to a virus. I may very well lose a ton of video files, including the entire project file for this new Monster Cops episode.

The good news: I have all of the videos on tape, so I'll just have to re-capture everything. Pain in the ass, but still good. I have alot of files backed up to an external hard drive. Some stuff I have backed up online.

The bad news: I'm going to lose alot of unique audio and video files that I could not back up, because I could never afford big enough back up hard drive. Projects that I don't have backed up, videos that I could never re-edit, photos, and many, many scripts, all of it gone.

Yes it is my fault for not backing up my files. I never had a big enough hard drive to do so. It was always on those list of things to get when ever I had the money.

Money, always comes back to that doesn't it? The funding to get this done. As I work to get that funding, things start to fall apart. Situations occur that could be easily remedied with the funding.

Ironically the episode that I needed to finish was almost finished. It needed to be sent off to a few folks who might put up some money, and it needed to get done before next week. But now I may have to start from scratch, forcing me to re-upload, re-edit, re-construct everything from the start before the middle of next week, IF I can get my computer back up again. It's always about irony isn't it?

So I try to remain proactive. I've got someone coming in Friday to look at the computer. And meanwhile I have to prep for the pick up shoot tonight.

And this is how it is for a no-budget moviemaker.

I continue to do what I can with no money, no hard drive, no funding, while trying to get that funding and continue to produce what I can. The goal is to have a product, a DVD, ready for the fall. Spend the next few months raising money and making movies.

So far this year has been filled with disappointments. Investors fall through, computers crash, and no budget production work gets harder and harder to do.